Battle of Valkenswaard

The Battle of Valkenswaard (17 September 1944) was a battle fought between the British Irish Guards regiment and the German 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen during Operation Market Garden in World War II. Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks, commander of the British XXX Corps, sent Joe Vandeleur's Irish Guards to act as the corps' vanguard during its advance over the Meuse-Escaut canal into the Netherlands, crossing the canal at 3:00 PM. The British tanks moved along the road to Valkenswaard, and the Royal Air Force and 300 corps artillery guns fired a rolling barrage in front of the British start line, killing some German soldiers and artilleryman as they hid in the trees, waiting in ambush. The ambush was sprung as the British tanks moved forwards, with German artillery guns opening fire and destroying several of the lead tanks.